EMISSIONS AND PERFORMANCE OF CATALYSTS FOR GAS TURBINE CATALYTIC COMBUSTORS.

Three noble-metal monolithic catalysts were tested in a 12-cm-dia combustion test rig to obtain emissions and performance data at conditions simulating the operation of a catalytic combustor for an automotive gas turbine engine. Tests with one of the catalysts at 800 K inlet mixture temperature, 3 multiplied by 10**5 Pa (3 atm) pressure, and a reference velocity (catalyst bed inlet velocity) of 10 m/sec demonstrated greater than 99 percent combustion efficiency for reaction temperatures higher than 1300 K. With a reference velocity of 25 m/sec the reaction temperature required to achieve the same combustion efficiency increased to 1380 K. The exit temperature pattern factors for all three catalysts were below 0. 1 when adiabatic reaction temperatures were higher than 1400 K. The highest pressure drop was 4. 5 percent at 25 m/sec reference velocity. Nitrogen oxides emissions were less than 0. 1 g NO//2/kg fuel for all test conditions.